Bangkok, 30 March 2025: Mangalore’s Jason Saldanha and Thimmamma Uddapanda of Kodagu started the season with a bang profitable the primary spherical of the Thailand Nationwide Rally Championship (RAAT) in RC 2.1 class, at Nakhon Ratchasima, about 250km from right here, on Sunday. In addition they completed a creditable second within the General class regardless of dropping time behind a caught automobile in Particular Stage 4.
Driving a Suzuki Swift 1.4L turbo for ‘Workforce Perception & Ally,’ they made it their second consecutive victory on the RAAT, taking residence the coveted title. “It’s a combined bag. We’re very pleased to have gained our class and the sensation of lifting the Indian flag excessive is a proud second. However for the time misplaced behind a stationary automobile, we’d have gained the General honours too,” stated Saldanha and Thimmanna, in regards to the SS4 incident the place they may not proceed as a automobile blocked the street. The organisers are but to resolve on the scratch time when the provisional outcomes had been introduced. The duo had been quickest in 4 Particular Levels (SS) and clocked an general time of 1 hour, 32.20 seconds for a complete distance of 81.50km together with a aggressive stage distance of 38.63km within the eight SS. There are three bodily levels. The Sanamachai Forest Park stage is the longest at 17.5km, the Rubber Analysis stage is 13.4km and the Wang Nam Sai is the shortest at 7.73km.
Saldanha, born on March 24, 1987, is a talented Indian rally driver making waves in each the RAAT and the Indian Nationwide Rally Championship (INRC). Initially from Mangaluru, he now resides in Belur, Karnataka, the place he continues to hone his craft in motorsports. Thimmanna, born on December 24, 1989, in Ammathi, then again, brings in expertise and stability to the partnership, together with his experience in navigation. He made his debut at Coimbatore in 2018.
Saldanha’s breakthrough second got here in April 2023 when he and his co-driver, Thimmanna Uddapanda made historical past by turning into the primary Indians to win a title of their class within the Thailand Rally Nationals. Driving for ‘Workforce Perception & Ally,’ the duo etched their names within the report books with this exceptional achievement.
In December 2024, Saldanha delivered one other stellar efficiency on the INRC Blueband K1000 Rally, their residence rally. Competing within the INRC 2 class alongside Uddapanda Thimanna in a Maruti Baleno RS 1.0 for Arka Motorsports, he secured a formidable second-place general end and clinched first place within the INRC 2 class. Earlier within the season, on the INRC Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, he and Thimanna completed fifth general and third of their class. Saldanha additionally put up a robust struggle on the 2024 Robusta Rally, the penultimate spherical of the INRC. In a tightly-contested race, he narrowly missed a podium end, putting fourth general—only a second behind Aditya Thakur within the INRC 2 class.
Saldanha and Thimmanna proceed to enhance their recreation and are a formidable pressure in Indian motorsports, showcasing their expertise on each nationwide and worldwide rally circuits. Their subsequent occasion would be the South India Rally in Chennai from April 24 to 27.
